Dean straightened his tie and vest, ensuring his hair was parted at just the right angle before stepping into the ornate dancing hall. The finest food, decorations, and drinks surrounded him, complimented quite nicely by beautiful women spotted throughout the ballroom.
Dean looked around, gaze falling on a beautiful woman adorned in a frame hugging red dress to match her deep crimson lips. Her soft brown hair was gently placed up in a pin, with small, curled strands falling loosely around her face, framing her fair complexion. The young man smiled, all white teeth and charm, and made his way to the girl.
"And what does a beautiful young woman like yourself go by?" He leaned back on the tall bar, letting his confidence do the talking while the girl flicked her eyes away shyly, a deep blush complimenting her light brown eyes.
She offered her hand with a smile. "Marianne."
Dean took the invitation and clasped her hand in his lightly, brushing the top of her knuckles with his lips. "Dean. It's a pleasure, Marianne."
Marianne blushed once more at the way her name rolled off his tongue like velvet, and kept her eyes and smile trained on the tall, handsome man.
"Care for a drink?" Dean offered with a charming glint to his emerald eyes, to which the girl nodded in response. He turned to signal the bar tender for two martinis, and was about to turn back to his conversation when a voice sounded towards him.
"Drinks are on me, if you like." The stranger proposed, flashing a smile of his own.
Dean turned his gaze, meeting a man with short, black hair, blue eyes, dressed in a form fitting black tuxedo; not that he took a second glance. Dean shot back a short smile. "No thanks, I think I have it covered."
The stranger shrugged, seemingly unphased by the rejection, and offered his hand. "Castiel. Castiel Novak."
Dean took his hand in a firm grasp, meeting his eyes in respectful acknowledgment. "Dean Winchester."
Castiel shook his hand, pulling away with a light brush of fingers against Dean's palm. Dean found the linger strange, but brushed it off as a simple quirk of this unknown man. The Winchester gave him another short smile as his drinks arrived, before turning back to Marianne without another word. Taking a sip of the slightly bitter alcohol, a playful glint in his eye arose as lively swing music started to come from the orchestra on stage.
"Care to dance?" Dean offered his hand once more, gaze flicking to the couples that were already joining on the floor.
Marianne nodded with enthusiasm, setting her drink on the small napkin on the bar before taking the Winchester's strong hand, letting herself be led rather quickly to the floor. Dean swung her into his arms, graceful and adept in dancing as he spun her around the space, hands on the light curve of her hips and lower back. He was quite enjoying her smile, so much so that he didn't notice an audience now formed around them, watching as he picked her up gently by the waist and swung her around, dipping her between his legs on the floor to the lively music. When the song finished, he was slightly breathless and smiling, nodding in thanks to the claps he got before turning to clap for the band.
Castiel remained at the bar when, the stranger he now placed a name to, Dean, took the unknown girl to the dance floor. He watched with admiration as this handsome man swung her around in strong, graceful movements. Pretending to watch the couple, he instead only trained his eyes on the intriguing man. A tall, broad frame complimented his strong jawline and face, which held full pink lips and bright green eyes, which Castiel was instantly drawn to. Short, sandy locks were parted just right, blending nicely with the classy looking suit he wore that night.
"Care to dance, sugar?" A slightly raspy voice asked, belonging to an older woman.
Castiel gave her a gentle smile, knowing not many guys would usually take her up on the offer. He nodded and graciously accepted, taking her hand like a true gentleman. Although she was not his type, meaning she was a woman, Castiel figured he could still have a good dance or two.
Leading her to the floor, he danced with her to an upbeat song, eye catching on the man he had met earlier occasionally as he moved around the hall. His partner was talking to him, he noticed, but was so rapid in the act he didn't get a chance to respond; not that he was wanting to. He was too distracted by the strong movements of Dean across the hall, so much so he barley noticed the song ended until claps were heard around him. He too, turned towards the stage with the rest of the crowd, directing his attention to the singer that had now stepped on stage.
"Hello everyone." The man on stage said into the microphone, which crackled only slightly. "It's now time to switch partners, and remember, whoever asks, you must dance with." He smiled with the festivity of it, stepping back to give people a chance to organize themselves.
Hearing this, Castiel instantly saw opportunity, knowing the man, Dean, probably wouldn't dance with him under any other circumstance. It would look too 'weird' to others, too 'out of place', like a disease gone awry in their systems, a mental illness to be attracted to the same sex. Shrugging off the thought, Castiel made a beeline for Dean, hoping to get there before another person led him away.
Dean nodded at Marianne and smiled, a silent thank you for the dance, a silent promise for return later in the evening. Marianne returned the smile, and turned away to look for a partner. Dean did the same, spotting another beautiful girl, already stepping her way when he was cut off by a tap to his shoulder. Turning, his curious gaze was filled with the man he had met earlier at the bar. Castiel, if he recalled correctly; such a unique name was difficult to misplace.
"May I have this dance?" He offered his hand to Dean cordially, who spluttered in response, knowing he couldn't reject. There were other guys pairing together, but most of them were just friends joking around with each other, and this man was serious.
"Uh- Sure." Dean responded, losing all his charm and grace in a matter of seconds.
Castiel happily took his hand and led them to the middle of the dance floor, of all places, and turned to Dean. Dean, who was not to be deterred by such a simple action, awkwardly placed his hand in Castiel's, curling the other at his ribs, never dipping down to his hips. The slightly shorter man took Dean's limp hand gently, starting to move his feet to an apparent slow song.
'Great.' Dean thought to himself at the music choice, ears and neck burning red at the song: "I'll Never Smile Again." Such a romantic song should be shared with a woman, he thought grudgingly. Castiel, on the other hand, smiled up at Dean, ignoring the obvious embarrassment while he started up a conversation.
"Have you been here long, Dean?" The other's name fell from his lips sweetly, which Dean took notice of.
"Just moved here actually." He tried to ignore the way his hand seemed to fit perfectly in Castiel's, banishing the thoughts; this was another man. "I just needed a change." He finished, slightly vague in his answer.
Castiel's eyes shone at the response as the music continued, the singer stepping up to the microphone. "I've lived here by whole life, I could show you around if you like." Castiel gave the back of Dean's hand a slight rub with his fingers, barley noticeable as his lips tugged into an inviting smile, his hips swaying with the soft, slow music while they got closer to Dean's.
"I'll never smile again
Until I smile at you" The singer began to the soft instruments.
Dean cleared his throat nervously, trying to push away the electricity Castiel's fingers left on the back of his hand. He laughed halfheartedly, trying to pass off the comment as a joke. "I think I've got the lay of the land."
"I'll never laugh again
What good would it do?" The song continued.
Castiel looked slightly disheartened, but the look was gone as soon as it arose. "Well, the offer still stands if you ever choose to take it." He inched closer to Dean, closing the rather large gap between them to a few inches. The Winchester flicked his eyes away, uncomfortable at the closeness, and the way he subconsciously reacted to it, enjoyed it.
"For tears would fill my eyes
My heart would realize." The music was now a soft lull, for Castiel was caught up in Dean's shifting gaze.
"Is something the matter?" Castiel asked, looking straight into Dean's emerald eyes with intensity and flirtation, getting so close he could feel the body heat off of the other man.
Dean, who already had his heart rate spiked by Castiel's gaze and proximity, found himself swept up by the intense stare, and felt something pool in his stomach... Attraction? No, it couldn't be, he wasn't sick, he didn't have that mental illness. Dean, flustered and confused, gave Castiel a small nod, and made his way quickly from the dance, rushing into the cool night air.
"That our romance is through
I'll never love again." The faint lyrics could be heard as the brisk wind his Dean's face, quelling the burn of his awkward embarrassment.
Castiel stood in the middle of the dance floor, slightly dejected at Dean's frightened look. Castiel made his way after the man, with whom he had felt a strong connection with, of which he could not explain.
"I'm so in love with you
I'll never thrill again." The singer's voice slowly faded, giving way to the rustling trees and sweet scent of the shadowed garden in the back of the large hall.
"Dean?" Castiel called into the quiet.
Dean flinched slightly at his voice and swiped a hand over his face. What had happened in there? He looked up hesitantly, meeting Castiel's blue eyes once more, apprehension filling his own.
"Dean is something wrong?" Castiel's rough, deep voice asked, and Dean did not just notice how attractive it was.
"Yea, something's wrong." He replied, flustered and slightly rude. "What was that?" His gesture encompassed the doorway to the hall.
Castiel looked puzzled for a moment. "What do you mean?"
"You were treating me like a girl, that's what I mean." Dean began to get defensive.
"Dean..." Castiel started, moving closer to quite the conversation. "There's nothing wrong with it."
Dean, being taught his whole life that these people were sick, had a disease, needed to be cured, scoffed rudely. "You need help."
Hurt flashed in Castiel's sapphire eyes, but he moved closer nonetheless. "Dean, this isn't a sickness." He reached for Dean's hand, only to have it pulled away from him. He, again, looked dejected, but continued on. "I know what you felt in there, I saw it, saw the way you looked at me."
Dean backed away, trying to reject the truth, but failing. "That wasn't- I don't-" He stumbled over the words- how could he be attracted to another man? He liked women... But the moment Castiel moved closer to him, when he reached up and put his hand on his arm to stop the stutter currently overtaking him, Dean couldn't deny the electricity in the touch. "No I-" But this time, Dean didn't push his hand away, some deep attraction kept him from it.
Castiel saw this, and moved closer, face mere inches from Dean's. "It's okay, Dean..." He murmured softly, fingers brushing over Dean's strong forearm.
"To somebody new
Within my heart." The singing started up again, just as Castiel leaned into a stiff Dean, pressing their lips together softly.